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Better Builders

Play On Words, the award-winning speech therapy company, announced that Guidecraft’s Better Builders® Emotions received their 2016 PAL Top 10 Award for School Age Toys. The PAL Awards were established to identify unique toys, games and books that through their design, quality and character, encourage play that advances language. Robert Artemenko, CMO of Play On Words, said that Better Builders Emotions “was exemplary among this year’s PAL Winners, advancing language in the context of great play.”

Sherry Artemenko M.A., C.C.C., founder of Play On Words and well-respected speech pathologist, assesses and reviews toys and books with input from parents, kids and educators. Observing play in action, combined with her critical eye for language potential, Sherry awards products and writes insightful reviews offering practical tips on how to maximize the educational value in each PAL winner. She had this to say about Better Builders Emotions,

“With Emotional Intelligence or EQ being a hot topic right now and the knowledge that we can increase a child’s EQ by helping them name, identify, and regulate their emotions, this building set is a great tool to further those language and social skills. My social worker friend tells me that sometimes kids talk more about their feelings when they have some object to work with, like a stuffed animal or Better Builders Emotions figure that they can express their thoughts through. As a language therapist, I see the opportunity for kids to express themselves, and even use the different faced figures to explain what to do or not do in certain situations, or talk about how others must feel, allowing them to grow in their social skills too!”

Better Builders Emotions encourages dramatic play with faces expressing 6 distinct emotions to which children can relate: happy, sad, angry, surprised, confused, and scared. Interchangeable friction-fit hairstyles, 3 male and 3 female, create new personalities and allow for personal connection to the characters. They are designed to assist in understanding feelings, encouraging positive expression, and verbal and nonverbal communication. Additional dramatic play sets that are a part of the Better Builders magnetic building toy system are Better Builders Career People and Better Builders Community People.

Guidecraft is honored that Better Builders Emotions has received this recognition from such a highly-regarded speech expert. Be sure to check out the 2016 PAL Top 10 Award press release and watch Sherry Artemenko on Fox 6 Milwaukee News as she reviews Better Builders Emotions here (featured at 3:27)!

If you are looking for unique Hanukkah or Christmas toy gifts that are all together fun, unique, creative and happen to exercise those all important STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) skills, you’ve come to the right place.
Guidecraft has created several lines of open-ended building toy systems which draw inspiration from nature and the world around us, are just as fun to play with as they are smart, and are designed to appeal to both boys and girls. We like to create toy systems, so you’ll find new extensions added each year, bringing new dimension to the toy again and again. Here are 3 choices appropriate for children, 2 years old and up.2 Years Old and Up

Better Builders is a wonderful first building toy; its unique rod and ball configurations, easily gripped by little hands, are held together with a strong magnetic force. Extend the Better Builders holiday fun by adding Career People, Community People and Better Builders Emotions!
Winner of the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio’s Platinum Best Toy Award.

4 Years Old and Up

Our brand newIO Blocks are where the digital world meets the physical world in a building toy. Their design is based on the pixelated forms found in the virtual world yet they are made of a unique soft-touch plastic. The secure, friction fit interlocking system used by IO Blocks, is a satisfying and secure way to build puzzle-like structures and figures. Additionally, your child may enjoy the free augmented reality App which replaces the traditional building guide.
Winner of Tillywig’s Brain Child Award, The National Parenting Center’s Seal of Approval, Parents’ Choice Silver Award and is currently in the running for 2016 Toy of The Year!

5 Years Old and Up

Also new this year, PowerClix Organics are the first magnetic toy to be inspired by organic shapes and forms found in skeletons, reefs, honeycombs, insects, plants and more. The beautiful new natural shapes and colors work seamlessly with their PowerClix predecessors, Solids and Frames, extending the entire toy system to unlimited design possibilities and encouraging children to think like engineers while having fun.
Winner of Parents’ Choice top Gold Award, The National Parenting Center’s Seal of Approval and Oppeneheim Toy Portfolio’s top Platinum Toy Award.